We were lucky to catch up with Sherri Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sherri , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
As a child I began hiding in boxes built of self-imposed expectations. I lost real me in the “shoulds,” the “if I try hard enoughs”, “the sameness” and the smiles. I built self-imposed mental and emotional boxes burying my soul for much of my young life. A lifeline of unconditional love was the beginning of my journey out of the boxes toward living as an artist, storyteller and teacher. Embracing the boundless grace of unconditional love has guided me on a journey to discover that Divine Love patiently waits for us to notice, inviting us to be held in its embrace. Now, I live a life beyond the ordinary, passionately sharing hope and healing through art, story, and spiritual practices. It is a path that leads toward the expansive, out-of-the-box life offered to each of us.
At 21 I suffered from life-threatening depression. I was thrown a lifeline, called unconditional love, a completely foreign concept to me. Unconditional anything??? That grace kept me alive and I embraced Divine love honestly seeking to understand. I learned and grew, but twenty years later I found myself sadly sweeping. Yes, very sadly hours of sweeping. My kids were in school and I swept. Each time I didn’t know what to do, I grabbed the broom and swept up a few crumbs. With a busy family of five there were always crumbs. Even if there were no crumbs, I sadly grabbed the broom many times each day, I swept and swept, and swept in my safe strangling shrinking space. My safe little sweeping space had become another box cutting me off from living. The wilting I felt offered a nudge… something must change. My traditional means of connecting to God helped me grow into a nice lady, not yet completely honest, I had become a grown-up version of the good girl I was at 21.
The pain offered a very faint urge to take an art class. I did not understand why. I trusted this very vague desire. Acting on that very slight urge, I stepped into my world of creative expression. In the art room, I felt at home immediately communicating through the elements of design savoring every moment of the class. A step of tiny trust led me to graduate school and eventually I became an elementary art teacher. In the middle of my second year, I was offered a high school position and jumped in, longing to learn and dive deeper into beloved art. On each Art I, Art II and Art III syllabus I placed to Robert Lewis Stevenson quote, “To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying amen to what the world tells you, you ought to prefer, is to keep your soul alive.” I discovered my desire for each student and my life purpose…keeping souls alive!!! My objective for each art student was for them to begin to listen and trust their instincts in the creative process and know how much each of their lives mattered. If they could do that, learn to listen and trust themselves, their lives could unfold honestly.
After years of teaching, along came the next opportunity to take a tiny step of trust. I had the nudge to “create beauty.” I taught one more year and fell in love with watercolor. It was time for me to take another step toward my purpose as an artist. I begin painting large vibrant wildflowers. Their truth reenforced my value of being real. The beauty they offered by being such sources of truth was well received. I was accepted into many juried art shows and had a solo exhibit at the University of Texas LBJ Wildflower Center in Austin.
Art has continued to lead me down the creative path of purpose. I paint from my own photographs, noticing and looking to see what I’m drawn to in nature. I now recognize this phase of the journey as Beauty, a Source of Divine love, trying to offer something good for my body, mind and soul.
If we take time to notice, allow and receive Divine love in beauty, breath, body and being, we Truly live. The past year I have spent writing stories and practices to accompany thirty of my paintings. I now share through art exhibitions, retreats and commissions. I passionately offer the lifeline of unconditional love that has kept me afloat on this journey of a lifetime.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Art, Art, Art!! I combine contemporary watercolor with story, healthy prayerful breathing, movement, creativity and stillness to bring hope in “Contemplate & Create” retreat, art exhibitions and commissions. I share hope and healing through Beauty, Breath, Body, and Being and Brave tiny trusts.
Website::www.sherrijonesart.com.
YouTube: SherriJones@EvenJustaLittle Instagram@Sherri Jones Art.
I am an artist, author and 500-RYT Hatha &Yin Yoga Instructor.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most important pieces of finding one’s purpose 1) Honesty…learning to be honest with myself 2) Being willing to put in the work once the nudge is felt, even when it doesn’t feel real 3) Learning the value of being still and listening to Divine Love. Don’t give up, but rest occasionally.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Technology. Hands down the most current challenge for me. I fought it for many years, not getting involved with social media, until I recognized the call to share these truths that are so life changing! The learning curve to use Instagram and YouTube in beautiful healing ways is stretching me immensely.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sherrijonesart.com
- Instagram: Sherri Jones Art
- Youtube: Sherri Jones@EvenJustaLittle
- Other: Even Just a Little Podcast coming very soon…
Image Credits
Amanda Lane Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
